In a surprising twist in the realm of UFC, we’ve witnessed a major upset this year with “Suga” Sean O’Malley claiming the title of bantamweight champion. The shocker came when O’Malley delivered a knockout blow to Aljamain Sterling, the reigning division champion. Despite fan and MMA expert predictions leaning towards Sterling’s victory, the tables turned dramatically as O’Malley’s well-placed right hand sent the champion crashing down. The bantamweight landscape saw an unexpected shift, akin to a king’s overthrow.
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UFC 292: Sean O’Malley Knocked Aljamain Sterling To Become New Bantamweight Champion
The Boston crowd began with a rather explicit chant directed at Aljo, but as the match unfolded, the first round witnessed the champion, Sterling, making a powerful statement. He dominated the round with his kicks and superior reach. In the second round, a pivotal moment occurs as Sterling slips during a kick attempt, which opens the door for O’Malley to go for a takedown. Despite this, Sterling manages to fend off the takedown and lands a jab as O’Malley moves away.
Unexpectedly, O’Malley retaliates with a devastating right punch that shakes Sterling, causing him to collapse to the mat. Acting swiftly, O’Malley launches a barrage of ground-and-pound strikes, leading referee Goddard to step in and halt the fight. With this, O’Malley secures the title of the new champion. Sterling quickly rises, displaying more disorientation than anger towards the stoppage.
According to opinions voiced by certain fans online, Sterling didn’t seem to be entirely knocked out. Allowing the champion additional recovery time could be a consideration. Nonetheless, this argument might not hold given that “Suga” Sean O’Malley followed up with a series of punches after dropping Sterling, who didn’t attempt to defend himself. This sequence of events led to the emergence of a new Bantamweight champion.
O’Malley’s marketable appeal stands out, especially in the absence of Conor McGregor. The UFC community was in need of someone like him to step into the role of a UFC face. While there are other widely popular UFC superstars, O’Malley possesses that unique quality that could propel him to true superstardom, drawing massive crowds to arenas. Now that he holds the UFC championship title, it’s intriguing to anticipate how he’ll fare in the division.
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